Navy Lt. John Nelson, a 1997 Issaquah High School graduate, pilots a Boeing EA-18G Growler in the dash-2 position (left) in a two-plane flyover of Qwest Field on Jan. 8 for the Seattle Seahawks playoff game against the New Orleans Saints. By Greg Farrar

Sure, the Seattle Seahawks received a boost from the 12th Man in the improbable playoff triumph against the New Orleans Saints last week, but the home team had some air support before the match-up, too.

Issaquah High School graduate Lt. John Nelson, a Navy pilot, participated in the Qwest Field flyover just before kickoff Jan. 8. Read more

A Navy Blackhawk helicopter based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island plucked the pilot from the woods while local crews worked on the ground.

Eastside Fire & Rescue Firefighter Ryan Hendricks said the Navy helicopter crew loaded the injured paraglider pilot into a basket to lift him from Tiger Mountain. EFR crews and King County Search and Rescue, a volunteer group, coordinated the rescue on the ground as the Navy chopper and news helicopters whirred overhead.

A Navy helicopter from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island retrieves a Navy corpsman from Tiger Mountain after the crew airlifted a paraglider that crashed into treetops July 14 and suffered broken ribs. — Photo by Greg Farrar